Start with the system, not the formulas

Kalau kamu belajar “12 tenses” sebagai dua belas rumus yang berdiri sendiri, kamu akan cepat lupa. Lebih mudah kalau kamu melihatnya sebagai sebuah sistem.

What is a tense?

Secara sederhana, tense membantu kita menunjukkan bagaimana suatu keadaan atau kejadian ditempatkan dalam kaitannya dengan waktu. Tetapi saat memilih bentuk verb, kita tidak hanya bertanya kapan sesuatu terjadi. Kita juga perlu melihat bagaimana pembicara melihat aktivitasnya.

Basic idea

Oxford specifically describes the present simple as being used for present states, repeated actions/routines/habits, and permanent facts.

Formula

I/You/We/They + V1

He/She/It + V1-s/-es

I study Business Administration.

She studies English every day.

I/You/We/They + do not + V1

He/She/It + does not + V1

I don't drink coffee.

She doesn't drink coffee.

Do + subject + V1?

Does + subject + V1?

Do you speak English?

Does she speak English?

Main uses

I go to the gym three times a week.

She studies every evening.

I live in Istanbul.

He works for a technology company.

Water boils at 100°C.

The Earth revolves around the Sun.

Important note

❌ Present Simple = something happening now.

It can describe something that is true now, but its core idea is not necessarily “happening at this exact moment.”

Compare:

I work from home.

I am working from home today.

Yang pertama menggambarkan general/regular situation. Yang kedua menggambarkan temporary situation.

Oxford makes exactly this distinction between permanent routines and temporary activities.

Common time expressions

Basic idea

Oxford describes it as an action that is continuing over a period of time and something that we are “in the middle of.”

Formula

Subject + am/is/are + V-ing

I am studying.

She is working.

They are travelling.

Main uses

I am studying for my exam.

She is talking to her professor.

I am staying with my friend this week.

She is working in London this month.

I'm travelling to work by bus this week.

Oxford specifically contrasts a temporary series of actions with the permanent routine expressed by the present simple.

Compare

I work from home.

I am working from home this week.

work → normal/regular situation

am working → temporary situation

Common time expressions

This is one of the sections where I would really avoid oversimplifying for your website.

Don't teach:

❌ Present Perfect = past action that has a connection to the present.

That's not wrong, but it's too vague for beginners.

A better explanation:

Basic idea

Oxford describes it as an action in the period leading up to the present, and also uses it for repeated actions and states continuing up to now.

Formula

Subject + have/has + V3

I have finished my homework.

She has visited Japan three times.

Main uses

I have lost my keys.

Artinya sekarang saya tidak punya/tidak menemukan kunci saya.

I have visited Japan three times.

Have you ever been to Germany?

I have lived here for three years.

She has known him since 2020.

Very important comparison

I lost my keys.

→ Kita melihat kejadian itu sebagai past event.

I have lost my keys.

→ Kejadian tersebut masih relevan sekarang; misalnya saya masih tidak punya kuncinya.

Oxford explicitly contrasts the present perfect with the past simple based on whether the speaker sees the action as connected to the present or as part of a finished past period.

Common time expressions

Basic idea

Oxford says it is used for an action over a period of time up to now.

Formula

Subject + have/has + been + V-ing

I have been studying for three hours.

She has been working since morning.

Main uses

I have been studying for three hours.

You look tired.

— I've been studying all night.

I've been going to the gym regularly.

Present Perfect vs Present Perfect Continuous

This distinction is GOLD for your website.

I have written five pages.

Focus → result / number

I have been writing for three hours.

Focus → activity / duration

Oxford explicitly explains this distinction: the continuous focuses on the action/process, while the present perfect focuses more on the result; when we say how long, the continuous is normally used, while how many favors the non-continuous form.

Common time expressions

Basic idea

Oxford describes it as the normal tense for an action in the past, especially when the relevant time is finished.

Formula

Positive:

Subject + V2

I visited Paris last year.

She studied in Germany.

Negative:

Subject + did not + V1

I didn't visit Paris.

Question:

Did + subject + V1?

Did you visit Paris?

Examples

I graduated from high school in 2021.

She went to Germany last year.

We watched a movie yesterday.

Important

Setelah did/didn't, gunakan V1, bukan V2.

❌ Did you went?

✅ Did you go?

Oxford explicitly gives this rule.

Common time expressions

Basic idea

Oxford describes it as an action over a period of past time — something that we were in the middle of.

Formula

Subject + was/were + V-ing

I was studying.

They were travelling.

Examples

I was studying at 10 p.m.

She was cooking when I called her.

Past Continuous + Past Simple

Ini salah satu konsep terpenting:

I was taking a shower when the phone rang.

was taking → longer/background action

rang → shorter event

Oxford explicitly describes the continuous action as the longer/background action and the past simple as the shorter action that interrupts it.

Common time expressions

Basic idea

Formula:

Subject + had + V3

I had finished my homework before I went out.

Timeline:

Example

When I arrived, the movie had already started.

Artinya:

Oxford defines the past perfect as an action before a past time.

And this is a very useful example from Oxford:

When the boss arrived, the meeting began.

vs.

When the boss arrived, the meeting had begun.

Yang kedua berarti the meeting began before the boss arrived.

Common time expressions

Basic idea

Formula:

Subject + had been + V-ing

I had been studying for three hours when she called.

Example

She was tired because she had been working all day.

The activity:

Compare

I had cleaned the room.

Focus → result/completed action.

I had been cleaning the room.

Focus → activity/process.

Oxford makes exactly this distinction: past perfect continuous focuses on the action going on, while past perfect can focus on the completed result.

Common time expressions

Basic idea

Formula:

Subject + will + V1

I will call you tomorrow.

She will probably come.

Oxford says will + base form expresses the future and particularly discusses predictions, instant decisions, willingness, offers and promises.

Instant decision

The phone is ringing.

I'll answer it.

Keputusan dibuat saat berbicara.

Compare:

I'm going to answer it.

This suggests the intention/decision already existed.

Common time expressions

Basic idea

Formula:

Subject + will be + V-ing

I will be studying at 8 p.m. tomorrow.

Example

This time tomorrow, I'll be flying to London.

At that future moment, the activity will already be in progress.

Oxford describes this as an action over a period of future time — we will be in the middle of an action.

Compare:

I will study at 8 p.m.

→ future action.

I will be studying at 8 p.m.

→ at 8 p.m., the activity will be in progress.

Common time expressions

Basic idea

Formula:

Subject + will have + V3

I will have finished the report by Friday.

Timeline:

Examples

By next year, I will have graduated from university.

She will have finished the project by Monday.

Oxford defines this as looking back from the future and talking about something that will be over at a future time.

Common time expressions

Basic idea

Formula:

Subject + will have been + V-ing

By next month, I will have been working here for two years.

Focus:

Oxford mentions this form as the combination of future perfect and continuous, e.g. looking back from a future point at how long an activity will have continued.

Common time expressions